Biological Approach SAQs
Exam Question Bank

Travis DixonBiological Psychology, Revision and Exam Preparation

This post explains what to expect in Paper 1 Section A – the SAQs. 

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The Topics

The short answer questions (SAQs) in Paper 1, Section A are based on the three approaches. You will be asked two SAQs. The possible topics from the biological approach to understanding behaviour are:

  • Animal research and animal models
  • Biological reductionism
  • Brain imaging techniques
  • Chemical messengers
  • Diathesis-stress model
  • Genetic inheritance
  • Localization of function
  • Neuroplasticity
  • Neurotransmission

 

IB’s Example SAQs

The above questions were taken from the IB’s specimen paper 1 on MyIB. Notice how they don’t ask for an example even though you need one.

9 Practice SAQs

This is my best guess at how each topic would be phrased as an SAQ. I have used the learning outcomes in the IB Guide combined with past exam experience in formulating these questions.

  • Explain one animal model used in the study of one human behaviour.
  • Describe one example of biological reductionism in the study of one human behaviour.
  • Explain the use of one brain imaging technique used to investigate one human behaviour.
  • Explain the role of one chemical messenger in one human behaviour.
  • Describe the diathesis-stress model in relation to one human behaviour.
  • Explain how one human behaviour may be genetically inherited.
  • Describe one example of localization of function.
  • Describe one example of neuroplasticity.
  • Describe the process of how neurotransmission in relation to one human behaviour.

Remember you must include an example in your answer. That could be a real or hypothetical situation or a real study. Hopefully the IB will add a phrase in the question to make this clear, but currently the specimen papers do not.

To make the answers clearer, you could add the following phrase to each question:  “Use one example to support your answer.”

Revision Questions

Sometimes questions are clearer than commands. Let’s turn the above exam questions into revision questions:

  • How and why is one animal model used in the study of one human behaviour?
  • How and why is biological reductionism used in the study of one human behaviour?
  • How and why is one brain imaging technique used to investigate human behaviour?
  • How and why does one chemical messenger play a role in one human behaviour?
  • How does the diathesis-stress model explain one human behaviour?
  • How and why does one gene influence one human behaviour?
  • How and why does localization of function influence one human behaviour?
  • How and why does one factor cause neuroplastic changes in the brain?
  • How and why does neurotransmission influence one human behaviour?

The learning objectives in the IB Psychology Guide (pg. 24) provide tips for each topic. However, I find some of them confusing. For example, the learning objective for biological reductionism is: “The strengths and limitations of a reductionist approach to the study of behaviour.” The SAQs ask you to describe or explain topics, not evaluate them. This learning outcome is guiding you to an evaluation, which isn’t what the SAQ will ask you to do.

Some Examples

The following examples are provided to give you a general understanding of the kinds of topics you could write about.

  • Animal research and animal models: The use of knockout mice in the study of aggression.
  • Biological reductionism: The serotonin hypothesis of depression.
  • Brain imaging techniques: The use of fMRI in studying the effects of child abuse on the amygdala.
  • Chemical messengers: The effect of serotonin on depression.
  • Diathesis-stress model: The 5-HTT gene and stress in depression.
  • Genetic inheritance: The MAOA-L (Warrior Gene) and aggression.
  • Localization of function: The role of hippocampus in memory.
  • Neuroplasticity: The effect of ACEs on the brain.
  • Neurotransmission: The use of SSRIs in the treatment of depression.

Deeper Analysis

The 9 topics in the biological approach can be grouped into three categories:

  • Cause and effect
  • Research methodologies 
  • Theories/Models 

Bio approach topics reorganised.

 

By breaking the topics into categories we can easily figure out what we need to know for each topic.

Cause and Effect 

The biological approach to behaviour is all about how biological factors affect human behaviour. To show you understand this, you should be able to explain what the effect is and why it happens.

Research Methodologies 

Not to be confused with the IB’s Six Research Methods, these topics are general approaches to conducting research in psychology. These methods help us understand cause-effect relationships in biological psychology. To show your understanding of these methodologies, you should be able to describe how the method is used and explain why.

Theories or Models 

While more common in the cognitive or sociocultural approach, there is one model in the biological approach – the diathesis-stress model. Psychological theories and models attempt to explain human behaviour. This means for each theory you should be able to explain behaviour using that theory.

Study Tips

  1. Find overlaps 
  2. T-REX
  3. Studies vs Situations

Find Overlaps: Every topic in the biological approach can fit nicely in an essay topic from the contexts. Plan to exploit these overlaps so you reduce how much stuff you have to cram for the exams. For example, you could use the hippocampus’s role in memory as the example of “localization of function” as well as a “biological factor in cognitive processes” in the Learning and cognition context.

Another way of exploiting overlaps is to use the same content across multiple topics. For example, you could use your understanding of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the topics of biological reductionism, animal models, neurotransmission and chemical messengers.

T-REX: This acronym can help plan your answers ahead of time. You can read more about it here.

Studies vs Situations: For each topic you need to have a supporting example. This could be “a research study or a real or hypothetical situation.” The advantage of using a study is that these can also be used in the essays to relate to the concepts. However, they can be tricky to remember. An alternative is to come up with a real-world situation. Here’s an example:

  • Serotonin hypothesis of depression: assuming you’ve explained how low serotonin might cause depression because it affects PFC function and mood regulation, you could use a real life scenario to demonstrate this. For example, someone’s dumped and they feel upset. A healthy level of serotonin means their PFC can help regulate their emotions using top-down processing. They might think about ways to cheer up or go do something positive. Low serotonin, on the other hand, means they can’t do this as well. They might start to ruminate and not be able to control their negative emotions since that’s the key function of serotonin and the PFC.

Teacher Tips

Examples: My original intention was to give students one study and one real world example for each SAQ topic. However, I soon realised that if I provide the real world example it takes all the potential value out of that exercise. By allowing them to relate the topics to their own real-world experiences, it should make it easier for them to remember.